Punctured Lung (Pneumothorax)

A pneumothorax occurs when the air leaks from the lung causing it to collapse. Sometimes this happens spontaneously, and no cause is ever found. However, several rare inherited conditions can cause a pneumothorax (also known as a punctured lung, or collapsed lung), including BHD.

Around half of people with BHD have at least one punctured lung in their life. Most people who have had a lung puncture will have more than one episode.

Punctured lungs are not normally life-threatening, but it is important to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible in case treatment is needed. you should make sure you know the signs of a punctured lung so you know when you need to get treatment.

What causes punctured lungs?

Often, punctured lungs are caused by an injury, but in BHD they occur without injury. This is known as a spontaneous pneumothorax. In BHD, they are thought to be caused by lung cysts bursting and releasing air into the gap between the lung and the chest wall. When the air pressure is higher in the chest cavity outside the lung than it is inside the lung, it will deflate (collapse). Whether the whole lung, or just part of it deflates will depend on its location and the amount of air that has leaked outside the lung.

If you have BHD, a pneumothorax can happen at any time. It may also be brought on by sudden changes in air pressure, such as those experienced if a person surfaces too rapidly when scuba diving.

 What age do people normally have a pneumothorax?

With BHD, most people experience their first pneumothorax between the ages of twenty and forty. There have been several reported cases of children with BHD having a punctured lung. Parents whose children may have inherited BHD should be aware of this risk and know the symptoms of a punctured lung. On the other hand, some people have them later in life or never at all.

How do you get diagnosed with a pneumothorax?

If you think you have a punctured lung, it is important you get medical attention as soon as possible, preferably from an Emergency Department at a hospital. Here, the doctors will be able to see if your lung has collapsed and will be able to give you appropriate treatment.

When you are first admitted to hospital, your doctor may use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs before ordering a scan. This is most likely to be a chest X-ray, although CT and ultrasound scanning can also be used to diagnose a pneumothorax.

If you have had a pneumothorax before, you may want to carry a Medicard listing any treatment you have already had, as this may affect any future treatment.

You can read about symptoms of a punctured lung on our Symptoms and Treatments pages.

• Published October 2023
• Reviewed April 2024 by Prof. Stefan Marciniak
• Next review due April 2027